you're sleeping with a portable device next to your pillow so you will not miss an email during the night, you are not alone। According to AOL's third annual “Email Addiction” survey, more Americans than ever before are using portable devices to keep tabs on their email throughout the day and night, and from virtually anywhere – bed, cars, bathrooms and even church. “Email is becoming more and more accessible, and people continue to take advantage of that,” said Regina Lewis, AOL Online Consumer Advisor. “As the survey data shows, portable devices – like email itself – are becoming more prevalent and easier to use. Because you can access email services like AOL from virtually anywhere and on almost any wireless device, it is easier to stay connected to work, home, family and friends through email — and instant messaging as well — than any other form of communication.” AOL, in partnership with Opinion Research Corporation, conducted online surveys with 4,025 respondents 13 and older in 20 cities around the country to measure email usage. It showed that email use on portable devices has nearly doubled since 2004, and as a result, people are checking email around the clock. According to the survey, the average email user checks mail about five times a day, and 59% of those with portable devices are using them to check email every time a new message arrives. Forty-three percent of email users with portable devices say they keep the device nearby when they are sleeping to listen for incoming mail."

Use a Paper Shredder as a Pasta Machine।

While you shouldn't try this to make a meal you will eat, it is entertaining to use your paper shredder as a pasta machine। Believe it or not, the first manufactured paper shredder design was inspired by a hand-crank pasta maker. Even though shredders have come a long way, they can still be used to perform the same function as their pasta-making cousin. If you've got an old shredder lying around or you've got top-secret, incriminating information printed on a pasta sheet, it might be useful (and fun) to explore the multi-functionality of your shredder and get some linguine out of it at the same time. "

10 Tips to Avoid Phishing Scams

Whenever you're about to interact with a financial Web site or a site that asks for personal information, use the following tips to steer clear of phishers:

Always type the address of the site you want to visit directly into your browser. Phishing e-mails use addresses that look legitimate but send you to the fake site when you click.
When you visit the site, be alert to spelling and grammatical errors, bad formatting and spacing and strange or inconsistent use of company logos। Phishing sites often make these kinds of mistakes.

Don't be fooled by the presence of genuine links and telephone numbers. Fake sites often include some accurate information to help trick people.
Security certificates (the lock icon representing "SSL") can be spoofed. If something doesn't feel right about the site, don't let your guard down just because you see the certificate.
Be especially suspicious of e-mail containing urgent warnings about account problems. These are designed to panic people and make them ignore their common sense.
Don't assume that an e-mail is legitimate even if the sender's name appears to be the name of a legitimate institution. The "From" field in an e-mail can be faked to look legitimate.
Scammers use the address or URL to trick you by hiding their true nature at the end of a long address (e.g. http://login.realfinancialinstutionname.actualphishingsite.com). When in doubt, call the institution for assistance before providing any personal information online.
Be cautious about using your main e-mail address to sign up for Web offers. Some sites allow addresses to be picked up by phishing gangs. McAfee's free SiteAdvisor tool warns you about sites that resulted in unwanted e-mail.
Use a stand-alone spam filter or a security suite with a built-in spam filter from a well-known vendor like McAfee to reduce the number of phishing e-mails that make it to your inbox.
Use a browser with built-in phishing protection like Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 2, and add additional anti-phishing by using the free McAfee SiteAdvisor plug-in.